Frequently Asked Questions

What is Smirne?
Smirne is a lightweight code and text editor for Windows. It offers the essentials of a good code editor: syntax highlighting, workspaces, a project Explorer, find and replace, notes and tasks, and themes. It is also a starting point for a project that will keep growing with the help of its community.

Is Smirne really free?
Yes. You can download it, install it on as many computers as you like and use it at home, at school or at work, without paying anything. There are no subscriptions, no adverts and no accounts to create.

Can I use Smirne at work?
Yes. You can use Smirne for your professional projects, including the code you write for your job. What you may not do is sell Smirne, distribute it for a fee, or use it as the basis of a commercial product or service. If you are unsure about a particular use, please contact us before you start.

Can I share Smirne with others?
You are very welcome to recommend it. Please point people to [smirneide.com] to download it, so that they always get the latest, official version.

Installation and requirements

Which systems does Smirne run on?
Smirne runs on Windows 10 and Windows 11 and requires .NET Framework 4.8, which is already included in up-to-date versions of Windows.

Is there a version for macOS or Linux?
Not at the moment. Smirne is currently available for Windows only.

How do I update Smirne?
Open the Help menu and choose Check for Updates…. If a new version is available, Smirne will tell you. You can always download the latest version from this site as well.

Where does Smirne keep its settings and workspaces?
In the Smirne folder inside your local application data folder, normally C:\Users\<your name>\AppData\Local\Smirne. Each workspace has its own subfolder with its settings, session and notes.

Using Smirne

Which languages does Smirne support?
Syntax highlighting is available for C#, C and C++, Java, Python, JavaScript and TypeScript, HTML, CSS, XML, JSON, YAML, Assembly and plain text. More languages will be added over time.

What is a workspace?
A workspace is a separate working environment. Each one remembers its own folders in the Explorer, its open files, its panel layout and its settings. You can manage workspaces from File → Workspaces, where you can create, duplicate, rename, delete and switch between them, and choose which one opens at start-up.

Will I lose my unsaved changes if I close Smirne?
No. When you close Smirne, your session is saved, including any changes you have not saved yet. The next time you open Smirne, your files, cursor positions and unsaved changes are brought back exactly as you left them. If Smirne cannot store your session for some reason, it warns you before closing.

What happens if another program changes a file I have open?
Smirne watches the files and folders you are working on. If one of them is changed outside the editor, Smirne lets you know and asks whether you want to reload it.

Which text encodings does Smirne support?
Smirne reads and saves files in ANSI, UTF-8, UTF-16 and UTF-32 (both byte orders) and UTF-7, and keeps the original encoding of each file when you save it.

How do I select a column of text?
Hold down Alt and drag with the mouse to select a rectangular block. This works with monospaced fonts. To select several separate blocks at once, hold down Ctrl while selecting.

How do I change the theme or the font?
Themes are in View → Themes (Light, Dark, Blue and Green). Font, tab size, line spacing and the other editor options are in View → Preferences.

Can I open files from the command line or from Windows Explorer?
Yes. Run Smirne.exe followed by one or more files or folders: files are opened in the editor, and folders are added to the Explorer. The same happens with Open with in Windows Explorer and when you drop files onto Smirne.exe. If Smirne is already running, the files open in the existing window.

Where are my notes and tasks stored?
Inside the workspace they belong to, so each workspace has its own notes, tasks and categories. Completed notes can be archived and viewed again at any time.

Community and support

How do I report a bug?
The quickest way is from inside Smirne: open Help → Report Issue, choose the Bug category, describe what happened and click Send. If Smirne will not start, you can contact us through the Contact page.

How can I suggest a new feature?
Open Help → Report Issue and choose the Suggestion category, or write to us through the Contact page. Every suggestion is read, and the most requested ideas help decide what comes next.

What is planned for the future?
The roadmap includes artificial intelligence features, a plugin system, GitHub and Git integration, more languages and more customisation. The order in which these arrive will be shaped by the community’s feedback.

Will Smirne always be free?
Yes. Smirne is free and will stay free for non-commercial use.